Zirconium nitride powder is a hard refractory compound with high decomposition temperature and excellent chemical stability, so it has good high-temperature resistance, corrosion resistance and wear resistance. It is a good high-temperature structural material, superhard tool material, and surface protection material. ZrN film has a golden color of lower brightness that people like and is suitable for areas where titanium nitride is not ideal for coating. It has high corrosion resistance, good smooth surface, and ductility.
A research team led by Professor Yang Minghui of the Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering (NIMTE) of Chinese Academy of Sciences has found that zirconium nitride (ZrN) catalysts can replace expensive platinum (Pt) catalysts. The study was published in Nature Materials.
Most electrochemical energy devices, such as fuel cells and metal-air batteries, require catalysts to increase power at an acceptable rate. Oxygen reduction reaction- ORR is one of the most basic reactions involved in electrochemical energy equipment, which greatly affects the power transmission of the equipment.
Pt is currently the most widely used commercial ORR catalyst. However, it is a rare metal (37 ppb in the earth's crust), and its cost is high (average price in 2018 was 28.3 g-1 USD), which limits the large-scale application of electrochemical energy equipment.
To solve this problem, the research team prepared ZrN nanoparticles (NPs) using a urea-glass route at moderate temperatures, which can replace or even exceed expensive Pt as a catalyst for oxygen reduction under alkaline conditions.
The synthesized ZrN nanoparticles have high oxygen reduction performance and have the same activity as traditional carbon-supported platinum (Pt / C) commercial catalysts. In addition, in 0.1 M KOH solution, both materials showed the same half-wave potential (E1 / 2 = 0.80 V), and the stability of ZrN (ΔE1 / 2 = -3 mV) was better than that of Pt / C catalyst (ΔE1 / 2 =-39 mV) after 1,000 ORR cycles. Also, in zinc-air batteries, ZrN has a higher power density and recyclability than Pt / C.
Zirconium nitride powder seems to be an excellent co-catalyst because it combines excellent characteristics such as low cost, high activity, and excellent stability, which is conducive to promoting large-scale applications of electrochemical energy conversion.
In addition, this work could pave the way for further research on cost-effective and efficient nitride catalysts and for the widespread use of clean energy.
Trunnano produces zirconium nitride powder with high powder purity, small particle size, large specific surface area, and high surface activity. It is used to toughen ceramics and high-temperature resistant ceramics. Zirconium nitride powder is widely used as:
1. The nano-composite hard tool, hard alloy;
2. High-temperature ceramic conductive materials, heat-resistant and wear-resistant materials;
3. Diffusion reinforced materials are mainly used in daily hardware parts such as hardware, building materials, and sanitary ware.
Besides zirconium nitride powder, Trunnano also supplies other nitride powders, such as boron nitride, aluminum nitride, gallium nitride, silicon nitride, titanium nitride, vanadium nitride, magnesium nitride, calcium nitride, calcium nitride, etc., with stable and reliable quality.
Trunnano can provide technical support for the application of zirconium nitride nanoparticles and ultra-fine zirconium nitride powder in hard alloys and powder metallurgy. For specific application inquiries, please feel free to contact email [email protected].
